Nov 5, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks cornerback Ra’Mello Dotson (3) celebrates with cornerback Cobee Bryant (2) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys after an interception during the first half of the game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Editor’s note: Ninth in a 12-part series previewing each of Iowa State’s 2024 regular-season opponents.
AMES — Kansas won’t play a single true home game in the 2024 season, but that doesn’t bother the Jayhawks. That’s because they’re coming off back-to-back bowl-worthy seasons for the first time since 2007-08 — and the program’s recent success under head coach Lance Leipold has prompted extensive stadium renovations.
So the Jayhawks will play their first two “home” games at Children’s Mercy Park and final four at Arrowhead Stadium, which Iowa State fans hope to turn into a Jack Trice Stadium South of sorts on Nov. 9.
Kansas, however, has won two straight games against the Cyclones for the first time since reeling off five consecutive wins in the series from 2005-09, and the Jayhawks are replete with returning talent on both sides of the ball.
Star quarterback Jalon Daniels is finally back from injury and top tailback Devin Neal (1,280 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns) and leading receiver Lawrence Arnold (44 catches, 782 yards, six touchdowns) also return.
Standouts in the defensive backfield (Cobee Bryant, Mello Dotson) and in the front seven are also back, but the Jayhawks will miss Austin Booker, who totaled eight sacks last season. The addition of highly-touted transfer EDGE rusher Bai Jobe (Michigan State) should help soften the blow of his departure.
Former Division II standout center Shane Bumgardner (Tiffin) must stabilize a rebuilt Kansas offensive line that lost a considerable amount of talent to graduation.
Iowa State vs. Kansas: 3 things to watch
**How can the Cyclones slow the Jayhawks’ rushing attack? Neal and change-up back Daniel Hishaw (626 yards, eight rushing touchdowns) complement each other perfectly and will be tough to contain for ISU and everyone else on Kansas’ schedule. Daniels’ innate ability to make plays with his feet (13 career rushing touchdowns) makes the Jayhawks even more dangerous, but an experienced ISU front seven should pose some problems to a new-look Kansas offensive line.
**Will “the margins” be kind to the Cyclones this time? Kansas won last season’s meeting, 28-21, largely because of big plays on both sides of the ball. Dotson returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown and Arnold caught an 80-yard touchdown pass to help solidify the win. So ISU must do the so-called little things extremely well to halt the Jayhawks’ mini-winning streak in the series.
**Finishing sustained drives with touchdowns will be key. Kansas’ defense ranked 100th in FBS last season in third down conversions allowed (41.57 %) and was dead last in red-zone conversions allowed (98 %). The Cyclones ranked seventh national in red-zone conversions last season (93.94 %) and will need to be similarly efficient in order to escape Arrowhead with a win over the Jayhawks.
2024 prognosis
The return of Daniels should keep Kansas’ offense as explosive as ever. The Jayhawks are anything but one-dimensional on that side of the ball with top receivers such as Arnold and Quentin Skinner back, so ISU’s defense must remain assignment-sound for all four quarters while seeking to turn Kansas over a time or two. If Cyclone defensive coordinator Jon Heacock’s group avoids allowing a spate of big plays, expect ISU to be in a position to win late in the game.
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Publish date : 2024-07-15 14:22:02
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